Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-31
The Importance of busting.
Kansas CITY Journal


There is no one item in the housewives
long list of daily labors that is Of more
Importance than that of dusting It is as
closely connected with health and happi-
ness as Is the preparation of food, and
It's proper performance is infinitely more
necessary than nine-terths of the sewing
that passes through the nimble fingers or
the average household. Dust and dirt
are .ne hrss couslns-the parents, father
VI oisease. If 1t were possible to live
In house absolutely free from dust half
she sickness that racks on frames and
half of the lassitude and debility tba4
weigh them down would not he Know,
Dust Is common carrier of the oarms
OF many dangerous diseases. and breath
ed into the lungs and settled into the
pores OF the skin as it constantly he
Is the progenltor of many others. The
truth OF this becomes all the moro ON
parent when 1t is remembered that the
dust which all good housekeepers STRUGGLE
against Is not solely the dust of mother
earth, which Is clean and comparativelv
harmless, but has mixed with that fbers
from our clothing, scales from our skin.
pieces of hair, bits of feather. ashes
wood fiber and everything else which can
be worn OFT and ground into powder.
The amount of this motley stuff that
is constantly floating about in
our rooms is astonishing. and
the Importance OF keeping them as free
from it as possible cannot be over esti-
mated. But notwithstanding this there
are few people who know how to dust p
room properly. To use feather buster
is great deal worse than TO dust at all.
1t simply whisks the powderly stuff from
one piece of furniture to another. If
does not make the case much better TO
have the windows and doors open. for as
much will stay indoors as will get ont.
If you cannot do any better than use a
feather buster, better let the dust rest than
spread. A dry cloth is but little better.
1t will hold some of the dust, but it will
also let loose great deal to go flying
about the room again.
The proper way TO dust room is to
begin with the walls. Pin Sc veral thick
nesses of cloth over broom and sweep
the walls down thoroughly, leaving at the
time all the doors and windows open.
This matter of sweeping the walls is i'm
portant and should be done once a week
in rooms that are much used. Then with
a damp cloth wipe off the picture cords
or wires, the backs of all the picture
frames and the tops of the door and
windop frames. If there is any danger
of injuring pictures or frames with a
damp cloth, use dry one, but wipe them
all off carefully. As often as you can get
a good draft shake and beat the curtains.
whether they be Holland lace, scrim or
what not, for they are prime sinners in
the matter of harboring dust. The win
dow-sash, sill and gloss-should also re-
ceive attention.
Use large cloth, with half of it we'll
dampened for busting, the dry end be-
ing useful to wipe off small articles that
might be in ured by dampness, and be
careful that you manipulate the cloth so
as to wipe the dust into it and keep it
there. Ii itgets dirty have clean one
and always wash them out and clean
them after using. If there are inside
shutters to the windows they need to be
cared for almost as tenderly as a baby.
A thorough cleaning every week, care
fully wiping both upper and under sides
of the Stats, is the only thing that will
keep them in decent order. A room is
not thoroughly busted until all the furni-
ture and woodwork and gas fixtures have
been cleaned with the damp buster. Up
holstered furniture should be taken out,
brushed all over and then wiped with the
damp cloth. not forgetting the under
side.
To the weary housekeeper whose sole
dependence is herself, or whose busy
hands are supplemented by only sin
gle servant, all this may seem an endless
task. And it is hard work. But it is the
most effective way of waging battle with
that ever present enemy dust. And the
results to be obtained by getting even
little the better of that enemy are
Of enough Importance to encourage one
in almost any outlay of time, labor and
energy which will accom- plish the desired
result.